Chapter 139

**Summer's POV**

"Now?" I blurted out. Realizing how unprofessional I sounded, I quickly corrected myself. "I mean, of course! Give me just a moment to get organized, and I'll join you right away!"

"I'll wait outside." Leo said, turning toward the door.

I quickly grabbed my notebook and pen, shoved them in my bag.and straightened my outfit. When I stepped into the hallway, Leo looked surprised at how fast I'd gotten ready. Before he could comment, Heather Bell approached with a folder clutched in her hands.

"Director Schmidt," she called, slightly breathless, "are you heading to the site? I've prepared these documents you requested."

"Good." Leo glanced at me, then back to Heather. "You won't need to accompany me today. Ms. Taylor will be joining me instead."

Heather's eyes widened. "But sir, she just started-"

"I'm aware," Leo cut her off. "Have those numbers fixed by the time I return."

Heather nodded stiffly. "Of course, Director Schmidt."

As Leo walked away, Heather gave me a calculating look. I smiled back,

trying to be friendly. Office politics on day one was the last thing I needed.

Leo paused a few steps ahead, looking back impatiently."Ms. Taylor,did you join Stark Group to stand around? Is that the impression you want to give your supervisor on your first day?"

"Coming!" I called, hurrying to catch up. Once I fellin step beside him,I voiced the concern that had been nagging at me. "Director Schmidt,I just started at Stark Group today. I'm still a newcomer. Aren't you worried about what people might say if you take me out on my first day?"

Leo paused at the elevator, pressing the down button before turning to me with a critical look. "Don't forget why you came to Stark Group. You're here to work-for yourself and for the company-not to worry about what your colleagues think of you!"

His words hit home, and I straightened my posture. "You're right.I understand."

Inside. I worried that I'd already made my first enemy in Heather Bell.*Great job. Summer. First day and already causing workplace drama.*

The elevator whisked us down to the underground parking garage, where Leo led me to a sleek black sedan. Once we were both settled in, he started the engine.

"We're heading to the site," he explained, navigating out of the garage. "It's a rather isolated area. If you'd prefer not to go, now's the time to say so."

My interest piqued immediately. "Manhattan West Sidte? I'd love to go!"Then,trying to sound more professional, I added, "I appreciate the opportunity to learn about such an important project."

Leo glanced at me. "We're still in the assessment phase. Nothing's finalized yet."

As we drove, I pulled out my phone and researched the area. "There's a psychiatric hospital and rehab center there, right?"

Leo nodded, focused on driving.

I scrolled through more information. "The psychiatric hospital was relocated from downtown decades ago-that could make further displacement politically sensitive. And the rehab center carries its own stigma, affecting property values."

I continued analyzing. "Plus there's the river and those abandoned factories with contamination issues. We'd need to overcome environmental problems. public perception, and construction challenges. Definitely not an easy transformation."

A faint smile touched Leo's lips. "You're quite sharp,aren't you?"

I felt a smnall glow of pride at his compliment.

"Yes, these are all factors we need to consider," he confirmed. "That's why I'm going back for another on-site inspection. Sometimes numbers and reports don't tell the whole story. You need to see a place with your own eyes to truly understand its potential."

By midday, we reached a gas station on the outskirts of West Side. While Leo refueled, I stretched my legs and looked around.

The area was eerily quiet-nothing like the Manhattan I knew. The gas station looked worn down, with faded signs and cracked concrete.I chatted with the attendant, who seemed surprised to see someone in business clothes.

When I returned, Leo was leaning against the car with an unlit cigarette that he quickly tucked away when he saw me.

"What did you see?" he asked.

"Almost no activity," I reported. "The attendant says they just get pass-through traffic and vehicles from the rehab center. No local residents."

I thought aloud, "When developing this area, we need to consider people flow. A shopping center needs foot traffic. Medical facilities might make more sense given what's already here, but that requires specialized infrastructure..."

Leo nodded. "Good observations. Let's continue."

When we reached our destination. Leo parked under a large tree. The area was exactly as desolate as I'd imagined-abandoned buildings with broken windows. overgrown lots, crumbling infrastructure.

"Next time, come better prepared," Leo advised, eyeing my heels as we got out. "The terrain here isn't kind to fancy footwear."

I looked down at my shoes with regret. They were stylish but definitely not made for exploring urban decay.

Leo shook his head. "In this business, we face unexpected situations daily.No one gives you time to prepare. We need to anticipate every possibility."

He looked out at the landscape. "After all, opportunity favors the prepared mind."

I nodded seriously. "Yes, Director Schmidt."

Leo's expression softened. "Just call me Leo."

"Oh,I couldn't!" I protested, feeling awkward about addressing my boss by his first name on day one. "That feels too informal, Director Schmidt."

"Drop the 'Director Schmidt," he insisted. "It's just Leo. I don't stand on ceremony with people I work closely with."

After a moment's hesitation, I nodded. "Okay... Leo."

For the rest of the afternoon, we explored the desolate landscape of the West Side district. Leo explained his vision for the area while I took notes,ignoring the pain in my feet as my heels dug into broken concrete and uneven ground.

By sunset, my feet were throbbing painfully with blisters forming, but I focused on Leo's explanations, determined to prove myself.

"That's enough for today," Leo finally announced, noticing my unsteady stance. His eyes briefly flicked to my damaged feet, but he made no comment.

He simply nodded with satisfaction. "Let's head back."

In the car,Leo handed me a bottle of water.

"Poor planning on my part," he admitted. "I should have warned you about the terrain. Sorry about your feet."

I took a grateful sip, rubbing my foot. "Thanks for bringing me. I learned way more than I would have from just reading files."

When we returned to Stark Tower, most employees were leaving. I organized my notes for a few minutes, then decided to call it a day. My feet were killing me, and all I wanted was a warm foot soak.

I took the elevator to the parking garage and approached the red Porsche.As I slid behind the wheel, something felt different about the car.

I turned around and nearly jumped out of my skin.

Brandon sat in the back seat, files open on his lap, looking as perfectly composed as ever.

"Jesus Christ!" I gasped, one hand flying to my chest. "You scared the hell out of me! What are you doing here? Don't you have your own car?"

Brandon calmly closed the file he'd been reading, dark eyes trained on my face. "Finished work for the day?"

"Yeah," I nodded, still catching my breath. "Leo took me to the Manhattan

West Side district today. Can you believe it? On my first day!"

"Leo? You're on a first-name basis with him already?"